The 'digital' slide shows that is. I'm looking for some music files I can use for upcoming 'digital' slide show am doing with PTE.
If I buy a CD, am I allowed to use the music pieces for 'non-commercial' slide shows, or should I look for royalty free music only?
Any suggestions regarding music itself?
Any other tips welcome.
Thanks.
Finding some Royalty Free music is probably your best choice Prashan, although you may still need to pay for it.
If you buy a commercially available CD and use tracks from it, then you would need to obtain permission and pay a license fee to someone somewhere for performing it - otherwise you'd be breaking copyright and performing rights. You're only 'licensed' to listen to your own CD/DVD, and technically you can't even copy it to a tape to play in your car or on your iPod/MP3 player!
Think of it in the same way as your photos - you'd want to be paid for their use...so the musicians want to be paid for the use of their performance. I've always found it strange that, generically, as a bunch of photographers we scream if someone rips-off our shots, but then are more than happy to rip off music .
As to the choice of musical style - that is very much down to you and the kind of mood/ambience that you wish to convey.
We use RF music, but I've always felt a little queezy about it since I'm so critical of Rf photos. I have a nagging feeling of a double standard.
The problem we have encountered however, is in sorting through the music industry muddle when trying to ask for or pay for the rights to use copyrighted music. All consieration of cost aside, they don't make it easy, and the bigger the company the worse the problem. I'm now searching for small labels we can work with easily. I'm very happy to pay the musicians for the right to use their music, but first you have to be able to reach them!
Good for you Hank - I don't exactly agree with RF music as it lowers the market to the same extent that RF licensing lowers the photo market - comes from being married to a musician. Still, using RF is better than ripping off someone's tracks.
I have to sympathise with you regarding the licensing of commercial music too - even trying to find where to begin is an absolute nightmare . It's usefull knowing some musicians or composers in that respect too
Posted by Ed Dubois on November 10, 2006 at 12:13 PM
Hi Prashant,
If you look on one of the royalty-free music sites they usually have a pretty detailed explanation of where you can use their music for free and where they expect payment. As far as the quality of the music goes I think that's in the ear of the beholder, just as it is with the photographs that don't get bought for commercial use.
Posted by Carl Donohue on November 10, 2006 at 1:22 PM
Hey folks
I have to comment on something Hank brought up .. we see photographers so often claim how bad the RF model is for the industry. If you want to use a particular piece of music, go through the channels and try to obtain permission for it. Buying RF music is no different to buying RF photography .. and "what's good for the gander ....."
My copyright protected 3.141592654 cents
Cheers
Carl
Edited a mistake that arises from my perpetual lapse of reason.
The term "Royalty Free" comes from the music/publishing industries. Royalties are where someone pays the 'author' or composer a sum based on the number of times a song was played/performed or a book or article was published/used.
Today 'Royalty Free' is generally used to describe a situation where you make a single payment, but have the rights to use the licensed item as often as you wish, and usually in whatever way you wish - although restrictions may be imposed. The alternative is generally known as RM (rights managed) - where you pay for a license for a particular purpose and timespan, and can only use it that manner...
Royalties = Pay as you go
RF = Royalty Free = Pay once, use forever
RM = Rights Managed = Buy a license for a specific use and time period.
So, RF music would mean you would go to the composer/band/publisher, and buy a license to use the music. You would then be able to use the music as often as you liked, and generally in whatever way you liked - eg on your Slideshow or on your Answerphone message/Music on hold, or in a lift (elevator to the americans ). It's like someone buying a photo off you, paying once and then using it for anything they like - advertising, magazines, books, etc rather than paying for each individual or type of use.
The bottom line is that RF does the artists out of money by lowering prices - 'why should I pay you for a restricted license when I can get similar photos/music for less and without restrictions....". - yes, can you guess I've lost sales of RM photos to RF stock
Hope that helps.
Posted by Carl Donohue on November 10, 2006 at 4:07 PM
Think you meant to say "Buying RF music is no different to buying RF Photos"
hey Nick
Thanks .. I'll just have you write my posts from now on - apparently I'm incapable of maintaining some semblance of cognicence. Do you take dictation?
About two years ago, a few friends and myself made a CD of bluegrass and old time music. All of the tunes on the CD are instrumental (no voice) and all are in the public domain. We found out that as long as the tunes were in the public domain and did not use any copyright-ed lyrics, we could use it however we pleased.
Such uses included; multiple copies (some of which were sold), give-aways, and 'play-time' at a couple of restuarants in our town.
Prashant, if you can find music that is in the public domain, it will be RF, does not harm anyone financially, and may be a good way for you to go.
I hope it works out for you!
-PB
Posted by Carl Donohue on November 12, 2006 at 6:40 PM
Hey Preston
I'm not sure that's correct. Certainly public domain compositions are free for anyone to record. But just because it's public domain, I can't take the CD you made (if I had a copy) and use it for what I want. For example, Eric Calpton has recorded a lot of public domain tunes, but I can't just throw his CD on my website with permission.
I'm collecting info for an entirely different approach for our own slide shows- local musicians. I don't think we're unique in having lots of them in our town, many of whom write and perform their own comps. I'd much rather pay a use fee to them than to one of the big record companies, and they're sure easier to track down. It also gives us an excuse to listen to some unique new music. I've talked to a couple, and they're dying to contribute to our next project. Both have even volunteered to compose new pieces to suit the specific mood we're after. We don't have any slide show projects on the horizon, but I'm sure looking forward to exploring this new venue.
Please don't think I'm being argumentative, here; but I said "we" (as in the group who made the CD) could use the music as "we" pleased. I agree that if someone took our CD and did as 'they' pleased, without permission from us, that could indeed be seen as an infringement.
If I missed something in your post, Carl, please holler!
Hank, I think you hit upon the easiest way to obtain music for a slide show. Just as there are lots of starving photographers, there are lots of starving musicians who would love to have their work heard and appreciated. Albeit that we are just a bunch of country bumpkins when we did our CD, we had a ball, and it was sure nice to hear 'our' music being played and appreciated.
-PB
Posted by Carl Donohue on November 13, 2006 at 10:49 AM
Hey Preston,
No, I don't think you're being armentative. And I know what you said is correct in that regard, that you were free to record it as you wanted. I was concerned that you gave the impression here
Prashant, if you can find music that is in the public domain, it will be RF, does not harm anyone financially, and may be a good way for you to go.
that music in the public domain is available for photographers to use on their sldies shows .. and that's not exactly correct.
Discussion
18 repliesIf I buy a CD, am I allowed to use the music pieces for 'non-commercial' slide shows, or should I look for royalty free music only?
Any suggestions regarding music itself?
Any other tips welcome.
Thanks.
If you buy a commercially available CD and use tracks from it, then you would need to obtain permission and pay a license fee to someone somewhere for performing it - otherwise you'd be breaking copyright and performing rights. You're only 'licensed' to listen to your own CD/DVD, and technically you can't even copy it to a tape to play in your car or on your iPod/MP3 player!
Think of it in the same way as your photos - you'd want to be paid for their use...so the musicians want to be paid for the use of their performance. I've always found it strange that, generically, as a bunch of photographers we scream if someone rips-off our shots, but then are more than happy to rip off music
As to the choice of musical style - that is very much down to you and the kind of mood/ambience that you wish to convey.
That is why I decided to ask!!
Personally I have been backing up my DVDs/CDs, just because some of them I own for a long time and have already got scratches.
The problem we have encountered however, is in sorting through the music industry muddle when trying to ask for or pay for the rights to use copyrighted music. All consieration of cost aside, they don't make it easy, and the bigger the company the worse the problem. I'm now searching for small labels we can work with easily. I'm very happy to pay the musicians for the right to use their music, but first you have to be able to reach them!
I have to sympathise with you regarding the licensing of commercial music too - even trying to find where to begin is an absolute nightmare
If you look on one of the royalty-free music sites they usually have a pretty detailed explanation of where you can use their music for free and where they expect payment. As far as the quality of the music goes I think that's in the ear of the beholder, just as it is with the photographs that don't get bought for commercial use.
I have to comment on something Hank brought up .. we see photographers so often claim how bad the RF model is for the industry. If you want to use a particular piece of music, go through the channels and try to obtain permission for it. Buying RF music is no different to buying RF photography .. and "what's good for the gander ....."
My copyright protected 3.141592654 cents
Cheers
Carl
Edited a mistake that arises from my perpetual lapse of reason.
Think you meant to say "Buying RF music is no different to buying RF Photos" - can't disagree with you there
The term "Royalty Free" comes from the music/publishing industries. Royalties are where someone pays the 'author' or composer a sum based on the number of times a song was played/performed or a book or article was published/used.
Today 'Royalty Free' is generally used to describe a situation where you make a single payment, but have the rights to use the licensed item as often as you wish, and usually in whatever way you wish - although restrictions may be imposed. The alternative is generally known as RM (rights managed) - where you pay for a license for a particular purpose and timespan, and can only use it that manner...
Royalties = Pay as you go
RF = Royalty Free = Pay once, use forever
RM = Rights Managed = Buy a license for a specific use and time period.
So, RF music would mean you would go to the composer/band/publisher, and buy a license to use the music. You would then be able to use the music as often as you liked, and generally in whatever way you liked - eg on your Slideshow or on your Answerphone message/Music on hold, or in a lift (elevator to the americans
The bottom line is that RF does the artists out of money by lowering prices - 'why should I pay you for a restricted license when I can get similar photos/music for less and without restrictions....". - yes, can you guess I've lost sales of RM photos to RF stock
Hope that helps.
hey Nick
Thanks .. I'll just have you write my posts from now on - apparently I'm incapable of maintaining some semblance of cognicence. Do you take dictation?
Thanks.
Cheers
Carl
Nope, don't take dictation...but I'll take a few of those Whiskey bottles off you to improve your cognicence, although it might affect mine instead..
thanks for that loooooooooong explanation. I got the gist: RF-> Roylty free.
About two years ago, a few friends and myself made a CD of bluegrass and old time music. All of the tunes on the CD are instrumental (no voice) and all are in the public domain. We found out that as long as the tunes were in the public domain and did not use any copyright-ed lyrics, we could use it however we pleased.
Such uses included; multiple copies (some of which were sold), give-aways, and 'play-time' at a couple of restuarants in our town.
Prashant, if you can find music that is in the public domain, it will be RF, does not harm anyone financially, and may be a good way for you to go.
I hope it works out for you!
-PB
I'm not sure that's correct. Certainly public domain compositions are free for anyone to record. But just because it's public domain, I can't take the CD you made (if I had a copy) and use it for what I want. For example, Eric Calpton has recorded a lot of public domain tunes, but I can't just throw his CD on my website with permission.
Cheers
Carl
Please don't think I'm being argumentative, here; but I said "we" (as in the group who made the CD) could use the music as "we" pleased. I agree that if someone took our CD and did as 'they' pleased, without permission from us, that could indeed be seen as an infringement.
If I missed something in your post, Carl, please holler!
Hank, I think you hit upon the easiest way to obtain music for a slide show. Just as there are lots of starving photographers, there are lots of starving musicians who would love to have their work heard and appreciated. Albeit that we are just a bunch of country bumpkins
-PB
No, I don't think you're being armentative. And I know what you said is correct in that regard, that you were free to record it as you wanted. I was concerned that you gave the impression here
that music in the public domain is available for photographers to use on their sldies shows .. and that's not exactly correct.
Cheers
Carl
I copy that, Ghost Rider. Thanks!
-PB